Role of sulphuric acid, ammonia and galactic cosmic rays in atmospheric aerosol nucleation

Atmospheric aerosols exert an important influence on climate through their effects on stratiform cloud albedo and lifetime and the invigoration of convective storms. Model calculations suggest that almost half of the global cloud condensation nuclei in the atmospheric boundary layer may originate from the nucleation of aerosols from trace condensable vapours, although the sensitivity of the number of cloud condensation nuclei to changes of nucleation rate may be small. Despite extensive research, fundamental questions remain about the nucleation rate of sulphuric acid particles and the mechanisms responsible, including the roles of galactic cosmic rays and other chemical species such as ammonia. Here we present the first results from the CLOUD experiment at CERN. We find that atmospherically relevant ammonia mixing ratios of 100 parts per trillion by volume, or less, increase the nucleation rate of sulphuric acid particles more than 100-1,000-fold. Time-resolved molecular measurements reveal that nucleation proceeds by a base-stabilization mechanism involving the stepwise accretion of ammonia molecules. Ions increase the nucleation rate by an additional factor of between two and more than ten at ground-level galactic-cosmic-ray intensities, provided that the nucleation rate lies below the limiting ion-pair production rate. We find that ion-induced binary nucleation of H(2)SO(4)-H(2)O can occur in the mid-troposphere but is negligible in the boundary layer. However, even with the large enhancements in rate due to ammonia and ions, atmospheric concentrations of ammonia and sulphuric acid are insufficient to account for observed boundary-layer nucleation.     

Microbial control of diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella L. （Lepidoptera： Yponomeutidae） using bacteria （Xenorhabdus nematophila） and its metabolites from the entomopathogenic nematode Steinernema carpocapsae

Cells and cell-free solutions of the culture filtrate of the bacterial symbiont, Xenorhabdus nematophila taken from the entomopathogenic nematode Steinernema carpocapsae in aqueous broth suspensions were lethal to larvae of the diamondback moth Plutella xylostella. Their application on leaves of Chinese cabbage indicated that the cells can penetrate into the insects in the absence of the nematode vector. Cell-free solutions containing metabolites were also proved as effective as bacterial cells suspension. The application of aqueous suspensions of cells of X.nematophila or solutions containing its toxic metabolites to the leaves represents a possible new strategy for controlling insect pests on foliage.     

On some interesting features of the hypothalamo-hypophysial vascularization in the lizardHemidactylus flaviviridis

Zusammenfassung Tuscheinjektion lässt Verbindungen der Kapillarnetze in Medinalobus mit denen des Neurallobus der Hypophyse bei einer Eidechse erkennen. Der Intermediärteil ist ganz ohne Gefässe, was im Hinblick auf einen möglichen Hormonfluss von Interesse ist.

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The authors are indebted to Dr.K. N. Udupa, Director, Institute of Medical Sciences and Dr.L. M. Singh, Officer in charge of the laboratory for providing facilities and encouragement. One of us (S.H.) is grateful to the Indian Council of Medical Research for the award of a postdoctoral fellowship, during the tenure of which this work was carried out.     

纳米金属和复合物在肿瘤诊断和治疗中的应用（英文）

本文讨论利用三类纳米材料对癌症进行诊断和治疗(简称诊治学)。这三类材料包含纳米金属、过渡金属氧化物和金属有机配合物,它们可通过化学湿法来制备。纳米技术具有精确构建细小材料的优越性,所以纳米材料被用来从细胞和基因水平上靶向攻击癌细胞,其精确度高、副作用小。目前的挑战在于对转移性癌症、抗药性癌症和肿瘤干细胞的治疗,通过有效设计作为载体的纳米材料,可以实现药物定向传递,进而实现对成体干细胞、胸腺T细胞的免疫治疗。作者讨论了上述纳米材料以及它们在癌症诊治中的应用,重点讨论了纳米材料的湿化学合成、性能及应用,该类材料具有独特的拓扑结构和孔隙度,因而具有高效靶向药物输送功能。另外,该类材料(特别是金属有机配合物)具有可调的颗粒大小、形状及组成,在靶向癌症治疗中,显示出循环半衰期长的优点。该文也就材料对肿瘤的诊治效率及纳米材料运作机制进行了探讨,以期克服目前所使用纳米材料的局限性。     

On the radio-sensitivity of rat liver

Résumé Les lobes antérieurs du foie de rats ont été prélevés et exposés aux rayons-X jusqu'à des doses de 91 kR et en employant comme indicateur biochimique de survivance l'incorporation de³H-leucine. Une dose de 45 kR fit diminuer l'incorporation au cours des 3 premiers jours suivant l'exposition; ce type de blessure de radiation nécessite donc plusieurs jours pour se manifester. Ces rêsultats montrent qu'au commencement de l'interphase l'hépatocyte est extrêmement résistant à la mort par radiation.